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Building the strongest of Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman Seth Haddix
  • 81st Training Wing Public Affairs

From jumping out of airplanes hundreds of feet in the air to swimming through rushing water down range, Special Warfare Airmen fight through the toughest and most vigorous environments to support the Air Force mission.

The 352nd Special Warfare Training Squadron Airmen at Keesler Air Force Base are held to high mental and physical standards and undergo intense physical training and tough courses. 

“We are not better than anyone else, but there is a special type of mindset it takes to be successful in these career fields,” said a 352nd SWTS trainee. “We need the resiliency and determination to never quit, and to not let anything get between us making it to that team.”

It is common for the Airmen to work in a joint-service environment on the battlefield. They create a way to connect the different services and bring the Air Force impact directly to the ground.

“We can act as a middle ground between branches,” said the trainee. “We integrate intelligence and support with direct impact onto the battlefield.”

The instructors lead intense and long physical training sessions to ensure the Airmen are fit to fight for their mission.

A 352nd SWTS instructor describes how the instructors prepare and train the students.

“We put our Airmen through intense physical training to build mental resiliency and prevent injury,” said the instructor.

The trainee believes tough physical training is key because it prepares them for the true mission of Special Warfare Airmen.

“We are ultimately training for war,” said the trainee. “Our PT sessions must push us to those conditions and past that. It is about making it home and surviving on the battlefield.”

The Special Warfare Airmen have a great impact on the Air Force and set a high standard for themselves. They strive to impact the military from the ground and the determination for achieving the mission of the Air Force shows their true resiliency and toughness.

“We strive to provide tactically efficient Airmen to the Air Force for special operations,” said the instructor. “We instill integrity, professionalism, teamwork, character and the Air Force core values. We rely on ourselves and others and push ourselves. We look for the Airmen who will take the extra step and push further than anyone else.”